Recreation device.



H. SALSBURY.

RECREATION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR,11, 1914.

Patented Feb.2, 1915.

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MONEY TH NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTG-LITHa. WASHINGMN. D. C.

H. SALSBURY.

RECREATION DEVICE.

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H. SALSBURY.

RECREATION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11,1914,

1,127,094 Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

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INVENTOR AWURN EY THE NORRIS PETERS 50.. PHOTC-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. u. 4,.

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HENRY SALSLBURY, or LoNnoN, ENGLAND.

RECREATION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,261.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY SALSBURY, a subjectof the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 11 Long Acre,Lon don, IV. 0., England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Recreation Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a recreation device and has for its object toconvey to an audience in a realistic manner the sensation of anaeroplane flight.

The invention consists in a recreation device comprising an aeroplanestructure accommodating a number of persons and adapted to partake ofmovements substantially analogous to those of an actual aeroplane duringflight so that when viewing appropriate animated pictures exhibited on ahorizontal screen placed some distance be low the structure thepassengers therein shall experience the sensation of an actual flight.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 showsdiagrammatically the general arrangement of a building suitable forproducing the illusion, while Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 anend elevation of the aeroplane structure above mentioned.

In carrying the invention into effect the audience is accommodated in abuilding resembling a theater having,-as shown in Fig. 1, galleries atfrom which extends downward a suitable frame-work b carrying scenery 0,representing clouds when viewed from the outside, this scenery beingmade of gauze or other transparent material permitting the audience inthe gallery beneath to view the entire space surrounded by. thegalleries. From the lowest gallery cloud scenery (Z forms an artisticsetting or frame of a picture screen 6 stretched horizontally over aconvenient area. On this screen animated pictures which have been takenfrom midair, preferably from an actual aeroplane during flight, areprojected by a biograph f onto a mirror It situated in a pit 9 below thescreen 6 and reflecting the light as indicated by the dotted lines 70.

Some of the audience view the picture screen 6 from an aeroplane-likestructure r which, according to the present invention, is movedvertically in the space above the screen while simultaneously beingtilted longitudinally in order to imitate, as far as possible, themovement of an actual aeroplane while in flight. For this purpose thestructure 1" as shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, is supported upon aplatform 1 to which it is connected by a shaft 2 in bearings 8 and 4,carried respectively by the structure 1' and platform 1, the former ofwhich can thus be rocked or tilted transversely. The platform 1 issupported in Inid-air by a link-work mechanism, which comprises twobeams 5 adapted to have an angular movement about a shaft 6 supportedbetween two supporting pillars 7 of the building structure. These beamsare attached at their upper ends by a shaft 8 to the platform 1, thetotal load of which is counterbalanced by a weight 9 attached to thebeams 5 at 10.

The necessary oscillating movement is imparted to the beams 5 by twolinks 11 pin connected at one end to the beams 5 by a shaft 12, and atthe other end to separate cranks 13 both of which are keyed to a shaft14 driven through toothed gearing 15, 16, 17 and a worm gearing 18 by anelectric motor 19. The cranks 13 are also pin connected to one end ofthe links 20 which are parallel to the beams 5 and at their other endsare connected by a shaft 21 to a lower part 22 of the platform 1. Theshafts 21, 8 and 12 and the pins of the cranks 13 are situated at thecorners of a parallelogram, the various links thus form- 'ing a completeparallelogram link-work.

The electric motor 19 drives the cranks 13 in a clockwise direction asindicated by the arrow 23, the beams 5 being oscillated about the shaft6, so that they impart an up and down movement to the platform 1 of theaeroplane structure 1, which in virtue of being connected to the links20 is at the same time given an angular movement about the shaft 8whereby during ascent the aeroplane structure is inclined longitudinallyso that its front end is directed upward as indicated by the dottedlines 9 and downward during descent as indicated by the dotted lines 79.The movement thus imparted to the aeroplane structure resembles more orless that of an actual aeroplane during ascent and descent.

In order to effect the transverse tilting of the aeroplane structure rfor the purpose of imitating the movement of an actual aeroplane duringbanking, a suitable mecha nism, either hand or automatically operated,may be provided. In the form shown,

this comprises a downwardly extending shaft 24 having at one end a handwheel 25 and the other a worm, which engages with a pinion 33 on a shaft26 running longitudinally along the under side of the aeroplanestructure 1' and terminating in a toothed wheel 27. The latterby meansof a chain 28 drives a pinion 29 mounted upon a shaft 30, carrying aquadrant 31 which engages with a quadrant 32 rigidly attached to theplatform 1.

Usually the aeroplane-like structure a" is provided with a revolvingpropeller s for creating an artificial wind and with other accessorieslikely to assist in giving a more realistic effect. In this way theaudience in the structure r experience movements similar to those of anactual aeroplane, and consequently, when viewing the pictures shown onthe screen 6, receive the impression of being in an aeroplane from whichthey are looking through an opening in the clouds onto the land beneath.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A recreation device comprising'incombination, a passenger-carrying structure, means for imparting theretomotions analogous to those of an aeroplane in flight, a surfacebelowsaid structure and means for projecting on the surface animatedpictures taken from mid air in order thereby to convey the sensation ofan aeroplane flight to the occupants of said structure.

2. A recreation device comprising in combination a passenger-carryingstructure, a horizontal screen situated below said structure, means forprojecting on the screen animated pictures taken from mid air, and meansfor directing the front end of said structure upwardduring ascent anddownward during descent.

3. A recreation device comprising in combination a passenger-carryingstructure, a screen situated below said structure, means for exhibitingon said screen animated pictures obtained from an aeroplane duringflight and means for imparting to said structure movements substantiallyanalogous to those of the aero lane from which the pictures were obtaine4. A recreation device comprising in combination a passenger-carryingstructure, a screen situated below said structure, means for projectingon the latter animated pictures taken from mid air, means for incliningsaid structure upward during ascent and downward during descent andmeans for transversely tilting the structure in order thereby to conveythe sensation of an aeroplane flight to the occupants of said structure.

5. A recreation device comprising in combination a passenger-carryingstructure, a

member capable of angular movement in a vertical plane about a fixedaxis, said member being connected at one end to said structure, meansfor oscillating said member and simultaneously directing the structureupward during ascent and downward during descent and means forexhibiting below said structure animated pictures taken from mid-air.

6. A recreation device comprising in combination a passenger-carryingstructure, a platform supporting the latter, a member capable of angularmovement in a vertical plane, said member being connected at one end tosaid platform, a counterbalancing weight at the other end of saidmember, a rotating crank, a link connecting said crank with said memberat a point between the fixed axis and the point of connection to the 'iplatform, another link connecting the crank with the platform below thepoint at which the member is connected to the platform whereby thepassenger-carrying structure is caused to be inclined upward during as'1 cent and downward during descent, and means for exhibiting on ahorizontal plane below said structure animated pictures taken frommid-air in order that the passengers in the structure shall therebyexs".

perience the sensation of an aeroplane flight.

7. A recreation device comprising in com-- bination a passenger-carryingstructure, a

platform supporting the latter, a vmembercapable of angular movement ina vertical plane, said member being connected at one end to saidplatform, a counterbalancing weight at the other-end of said member, a

rotating crank, a link connecting said crank with said member ata pointbetween the fixed axis and the point of connection to the platform,another link connecting the crank with the platform below the point atwhich the member is connected to the platformg whereby thepassenger-carrying structure is caused to be inclined upward duringascent and downward during descent, means for transversely tilting thestructure to imitate banking, and means for exhibiting on a horizontalplane below said structure animated pictures taken from mid-air in orderthat the passengers in the structure shall thereby experience thesensation of an aero; plane flight.

8. A recreation device comprising in combination a hor zontal screen,means for proectmg thereon animated plctures obtained from mid-air,cloud scenery surrounding said screen, a passenger-carrying structureresembling an aeroplane, a member supporting said structure above thepicture screen, said member being capable of angular movement about afixed axis, means effecting oscillation of said member about its fixedaxis and of the structure about its axis of support, and means fortilting the name to this specification in the presence structuretransversely, thereby causing the of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

structure to artake of movements resembling those oi an aeroplane sothat the oceu- HENRY SALSBURY' pants of the structure experience thesensa- Witnesses: tion of an aeroplane flight. P. A. OUTHWAITE, Intestimony whereof I have signed my H. D. JAMEsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

